§ Mr. Matesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in agreeing common dates for the application of summer time throughout the European Community from 1983 onwards.
§ Mr. WhitelawIt is proposed by the Council Presidency that each member State should extend its current summer time arrangements to cover the period 1983–85. This would mean that there should be a common starting date on the last Sunday in March, but that summer time should finish in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland on the day following the fourth Saturday in October, while in the other member States of 469W the European Community it should finish on the last Sunday in September. The changeover time should continue to be 1 a.m. Greenwich mean time. The Government accept these proposals and will, in due course, seek the approval of Parliament to the draft of an Order in Council to implement them under the terms of the Summer Time Act 1972.